Since the doors opened for the European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club a few weeks ago, 388 applications for 440 places have been received.
The club lies on the north shore of County Down near the mouth of Belfast Lough and has vast experience hosting top-level competitions. It is ideally placed to run a huge regatta like this, with most of the lough providing a vast area of virtually tide - and hazard-free water, as well as ample boat and car parking ashore.
Applicants are from 26 countries across Europe including some from Northern Ireland and from young sailors hailing from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Thailand, Qatar and Brazil.
The event will take place over eight days, from 27 July to 3 August 2024. The qualifying rounds will decide who will race in the Gold, Silver, and Bronze divisions.
Aidan Pounder, one of the event organisers, is delighted with the support for this major event thus far. “Although there were 388 entries at last year’s event in Poland, we believed that we should be more modest with our expectations given that Northern Ireland is a long journey for many sailors coming from continental Europe. It seems that, in fact, we underestimated the dedication that these sailors have for their sport and that they are indeed keen to make the journey for what we hope will be a cracking event.
Applicants for the European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club are from 26 countries across Europe including some from Northern Ireland and from young sailors hailing from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Thailand, Qatar and Brazil
Among applications from Northern Ireland sailors for the event are those from Autumn Halliday from Strangford Lough YC, Lucy Ives from Carlingford, Daniel Palmer from the host club and Rory Pollard and Luke Simpson from County Antrim YC as well as Cormac Byrne of Strangford Lough YC and Ballyholme.
Trevor Millar, one of the founders of the fledgling Laser fleet at Ballyholme is looking forward to bringing a team to the Euros: “Heading to Ballyholme Yacht Club, where it all began for me, starting one of the first Laser classes in Ireland along with Ron Hutchieson. After some 50 years, it will feel like returning to familiar waters after a long voyage. The postponement during Covid of the ILCA 6 Youth Europeans was a bitter setback. Returning this July fills me with a profound sense of homecoming and anticipation. The club, having hosted the 1979 European Championships, was not just a backdrop for my early sailing days but a launchpad for my coaching journey".
Trevor Millar
Another important aspect for the club, and indeed EurILCA, was the ability to deliver a ‘Clean Regatta’.
As sailors and water sports enthusiasts, BYC holds a very strong marine environmental position and the club is proud to be signed up to the Green Blue Pledge, hold platinum-level Clean Regattas Certification and Final Straw Certification, all of which aligns with EurILCA’s values and has put BYC in an excellent position to meet EurILCA’s sustainability requirements. A group of hardy BYC sailors braved the chilly easterly to climb Cave Hill for some tree planting with #thewoodlandtrust and were rewarded with great views over the Lough. They planted over 550 saplings to help offset carbon emissions of the RIBs during the ILCA 6 European Championships.
Ballyholme Yacht Club members planting trees on Cave Hill
The application closing date is 31st May, and the entry closing date is 25th June.
Successful applicants will be chosen after the 31 May deadline. The list of applicants is here
